Pick up the Pieces
by mrnaylor930
Summary: Supposing that Caskett knew each other and kind of were in a relationship when Johanna died, Kate comes to Castle after Jim beat her up in one of his alcoholic rages. (Tumblr Prompt, Two-shot) Mention of slight violence!
1. Chapter 1

**I saw this prompt on Tumblr and loved the idea! Thank you to the anon who asked for it. I will do my best to do it justice.**

**"Supposing that Caskett knew each other and kind of were in a relationship when Johanna died, Prompt: Kate comes to Castle after Jim beat her up in one of his alcoholic rages." (I will put it up on Tumblr for the asker after posting the second chapter.)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own these characters! **

**(In this story Kate goes to Columbia instead of Stanford for the sake of convenience! Rick does not have Alexis and has just written two books. Both of which were very successful, though he is not yet world famous.)**

They had only been dating a few months when her mother died.

Everything had been going great. They were happy. He was waiting outside her classes every day, coffee in hand, just so that he could to walk her to the next class or grab a bite to eat if they both had a break. She fascinated him, challenged him, and brightened his day every time he got the chance to see her.

It happened the night he was set to meet her parents. To say he was nervous would have been an understatement. She talked about her parents as if they were gods. She adored her father and idolized her mother. He knew that this dinner could potentially make or break their relationship.

He had never been in a relationship like this before and he certainly wasn't ready to let her go so soon, if ever. He changed clothes at least three times to make sure he looked perfect for them and practiced his greeting in the mirror a few times just to get it right.

They arrived at the restaurant at about seven o'clock. Just in time. Her father, Jim, was waiting at the table for them and stuck out his hand in greeting. He was friendly enough after a small awkward pause in which he sized Rick up. Apparently he liked what he saw because the little group fell into easy conversation.

After thirty minutes, Johanna had still not arrived. Jim had tried to call her and break her from what was assumed to be a work-induced haze. Kate was getting more and more furious as the minutes wore on. Her mother had known how important this dinner was to her and she should have been there.

It was explained to Rick that Johanna was often so enraptured with her work that she lost track of the time. Of course, she never missed birthdays or holidays or ballet recitals (that one had him doing a double take), but she did have a tendency to be late for a dinner here and there.

Rick didn't mind much. He was more worried about Kate's mother than her father anyway. Especially after meeting Jim. What he didn't know was that he would never get to meet Johanna and his worrying was in vain.

They had their meal without Johanna and it was pleasant for the most part. Rick had to keep a hand on Kate's leg under the table to keep her from coming out of her skin in anger. She was glad that her father enjoyed Rick's company so much, but was still seething with anger at her mother. She tried to ignore it and decided to deal with it when she got home.

When they were finished with dinner Kate invited Rick to drive her home. Jim texted Johanna to tell them where they were headed, though he was sure that she was already waiting for them. Kate was to stay with her parents for the weekend and then head back to school on Monday so this would likely be the last time they saw each other for the next few days. He was already dreading it so he offered to drive her home and follow Jim.

In the car, Kate was pretty silent. Their fingers were twined and she told him all he needed to know in the stoking of her thumb. She was upset at her mother, but was grateful for him to have been there and also sorry.

"No need to be sorry, Kate. I had a lovely time and I'm sure your mother is waiting for us with a perfectly good explanation as to her missing dinner. It's really no big deal. We'll do a rain check later in a few weeks." She offered no response but the squeeze of a hand, but that was enough.

Even after only a few short months he felt like he had known her for a lifetime. He liked it that way and he couldn't even remember what life was without Kate Beckett in it.

_How cheesy is that, Rick? She really has turned you into a sap. _

When they pulled in the driveway both of their lives changed forever. It was like a nightmare. A detective got out of his car and began talking to Jim. Kate was to them in seconds and Rick didn't even need to hear the words. Their actions told him everything.

Jim stood with a look of complete shock on his face. Backing away from the detective a few steps and shaking his head. There were no tears or screams of injustice. Just shock and despair evident on his face.

Watching Kate broke his heart. She fell to the ground as if the life had been sucked right out of her. He could see her back shaking and her heavy breathing from the few feet he stood away. His heart broke for her and he could not stand there any longer.

Rick vaguely registered the detective waving them inside and Jim following like a lost puppy. He didn't care. All he cared about was getting to Kate.

He took a few running steps over to her and bent to her level. One look into her eyes and his heart shattered all over again. She was literally in pieces on the driveway. He wanted nothing more than to take all of her pain away, but all he could do was gather her into his arms and hold her through it.

It was freezing outside and she was shaking, from the crying or the cold he couldn't tell. He might not be able to do anything about the crying but the cold he could handle.

She tensed as soon as he touched her. It was as if she was a porcupine, trying to protect herself from him and from all the pain of the day. He didn't care and he didn't stop even as she slammed her fists into his chest when he stood up with her in his arms.

Her hits were weak and he didn't even feel them through his coat. He began walking toward the house and she struggled even harder. Flailing in his arms as if he was dragging her to prison, so he turned around and headed for the car.

He opened the door and finagled his way inside so that they were both sitting in the passenger seat. He situated her on his lap and she finally gave over to him and buried her nose into his neck.

He reached up and flipped the keys to start the heat and waited. It was then that he realized she wasn't crying. She was having a panic attack. Her breathing was erratic and she was not in control of herself.

He gently kissed her hair and whispered calm words into her ear. All the while praying to whoever would listen for her pain to be lessened somehow.

Eventually her breathing calmed and he felt her instantly tense against him once again. He pushed away just enough to look onto her face. It was pitiful. Her eyes were broken and sad. Darkened and heavy. She looked like she hadn't slept in three days and her makeup was all over the place. Shock and confusion and complete hopelessness covered her face. He wasn't even sure if she knew where she was or who she was with.

It was then that he realized that her father had left her. He had just lamely followed the detective inside. He didn't even glance back at Kate to see if she was going to follow or if Rick had her taken care of. Anger flared for the man for a moment and then immediately was gone.

He didn't know what it was like to lose a wife or a mother. He didn't understand how any of this was to go. He decided to let it go and not pass judgments. The man was going through a lot and he was sure that he would be there for Kate in the end once the initial shock wore off. He was just glad that he could be here for her in this and that she wasn't all alone.

She was a statue in his arms. She didn't make any moves or show any signs of change in her expression. He was so unsure of what to do. It was as if an instant wall had been erected around her and not even his touch or words could get through it. As much as he knew her and loved her, _wow love, _and wanted to protect her with his life, he couldn't think of how to fix this or even make it better.

He figured that there really wasn't a way. After an indefinite period of hair stroking and trying to make her relax in his arms he made a decision. It was late and she needed sleep. The next few days were bound to be rough on her, probably the hardest days of her life.

He turned off the car and opened the door again, hoisting her up with an arm around her back and one at the back of her knees. It was an awkward hold seeing as how her arms were in her lap and he was holding all of her weight. He was terrified of dropping her, but she was light, too light probably, and he had a job to do.

He got to the door and lowered her to the ground to open the door, keeping one arm around her for fear that she would be too weak to stand. Once opened he picked her up again and stepped inside.

He had never been inside her house before and had no idea where to go. He wracked his brain looking for a clue in all of the conversations they had ever had. He vaguely remembered something about "upstairs" so he figured that was his best bet.

He closed the door with his back and stepped into the foyer. He looked to the right and found Jim and the detective sitting in the living room. Jim had his elbows on his knees and his face buried in his hands. His shoulders were slumped and he looked as if he were a hundred years old. The detective was asking questions, but Rick couldn't hear if he was getting any responses.

There were a few other cops milling around, _when had they gotten here, _but other than that the house was silent.

The staircase was on directly to the left and he braced himself for the unassisted climb. It wasn't too hard, but his arms were beginning to ache. As he reached the top he quickly honed in on the door with "Katie" written in wooden block letters across the top. If this were a very different situation he might make a comment about a much smaller Katie decorating her door, but today it did not even cross his mind.

Luckily, the door was already cracked so all he needed to do was bump it a bit and he gained access. Her room was the average teenage girl's. Boy bands and movie posters adorned the walls, a littering of family pictures on a dresser, and a queen sized bed with pillows and a few remaining stuffed animals who he was sure were sacred in some way. The only thing that was unordinary were the overflowing book shelves on the wall beside the bed. It was a smorgasbord of genres and sizes. Again, on any other night he would have taken the time to peruse, but not on this night.

His arms rejoiced as he gently set her down on the bed. She immediately curled in on herself and it was as if something inside her cracked. Sobs wracked her body and the whole bed shook with the force of it. He sat down and took her into his arms again.

This time she made no protests and allowed herself to be held. She gripped his shirt and tried to get as close to him as she possibly could. He even shed a few tears when she cried out in pain. This was quickly becoming the worst night of his life.

He stroked her back and hair alternating between comforting words and silence. He wasn't sure which if any were helping, but at least he felt useful.

After what seemed like a lifetime she quieted and went limp in his arms. She had cried herself to sleep. He shuttered with the thought.

He held her for a bit longer before deciding it was probably time to leave. He hated the thought of leaving her here all alone, but he knew that her father was here with her and what she really needed was family right now. The last thing he wanted was to be in the way. He would come back tomorrow to help with what he could.

He slipped out from under her and settled her back down. He removed her gloves, scarf, and coat, before pulling the covers up and over her. Her makeup was now completely gone and she looked so young in the peace of sleep. He was hoping it would last.

He wrote her out a note. Short and simple telling her to call him tomorrow and sooner if she needed anything at all. It seemed so inadequate, but there was nothing he could do. No amount of words or promises could change what happened.

He wrote another one for Jim saying that he was here for them with whatever they needed. He decided to put it on the small entryway table for him to see when all the officers had left.

He kissed her forehead and smoother her hair from her face.

"I love you, Kate." He knew that she couldn't hear him, and it was just as well. Tonight was not the time for that.

'Soon', he told himself as he stepped away and turned back to catch one last look at her sleeping peacefully.

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Back in his car he cried like a baby. It was so unfair. He cried for her and her mother, neither of them deserving what had happened tonight. He cried because he wanted nothing more in life than to take her pain away. He was blown away by how much he wished he were dead if only so that she would have her mother back.

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He didn't sleep a wink. No matter how many sheep he counted or what position he was in sleep would not come. At 4:30 he finally gave up and got ready for the day. Luckily, it was Saturday so his short list of responsibility was lessened even more for the day.

Before, Kate he wrote or played video games during the day and partied at night. The minute she knocked into him at Starbucks on the way to his publisher meeting all that had changed. Now he played his games while she was in class and spent all the time he could with her or planning to be with her. It was amazing how hard you could fall for a person in such a short amount of time. Of course, he acted nonchalant around her. He didn't want to seem like the clingy or creepy type.

But secretly, he was always looking for ways to make her smile and laugh. Trying to make her day better or easier. He wasn't sure that he succeeded all the time and she just shook her head at most of his efforts, but occasionally he succeeded. Sometimes he would hit the nail right on the head. Like the first time he brought her coffee.

_"Is this going to be a regular thing with you? Showing up and annoying me to my next class?" He had laughed at that but she looked pretty serious. _

_"Well, you mentioned you had Professor Brown at 8:00 so I figured you could use a little caffeine fix after hearing him drag on about the Middle East for forty-five minutes, but if you don't want it then I guess I'll just…" He held the coffee above a trash can, swinging it precariously close over the top. _

_"Drop it and your dead!" She deadpanned as she reached out for the cup. _

_He smiled as he allowed her to take it from his hands and bring it to her lips. Her face lit up as the warm liquid touched her lips, though she tried to hide it, she just wasn't quick enough. _

_She began walking away, book bag slung over her shoulder and coffee in hand. He was genuinely conflicted as to what he should do when she stopped and called over her shoulder. _

_"You comin', Castle?" _

Every day from then on he had brought her coffee or had a cup sent to her dorm if he had a signing or meeting that day. He was coming up in the ranks as a writer and that took a lot of publicity, though mainly from very small magazines. But, his publishers told him that one more best seller would likely be his big break.

He had already made a small fortune with his first two books. Enough to have a very nice apartment and car. It also meant security to spend time writing instead of going out and getting a "big boy job" as his mother would say.

Today was the one day he wished he had more to do. Something to take his mind off of his phone that was not ringing. He sat in his office chair for a good three hours just staring at the phone and that was after he had exhausted all other entertainment and mind busying options.

All he could think about was her. The picture of her alone and shaking on the concrete haunted him every time he closed his eyes. It was just about lunch time when he finally couldn't take it anymore. He decided to get lunch to take to her, and Jim. He needed to see her, touch her, to know that she was okay. Know that she was eating enough and taking care of herself.

He grabbed his wallet and his keys and marched to the door. He swung the door open and stepped out into the hall only to be met with a bruised and battered looking Kate laid out on the floor.

**To be continued…**

**(Most likely a two-shot) **


	2. Chapter 2

His heart stopped and the breath left him. There on the floor was the women he loved more than life itself strewn carelessly in the hall. He wasn't sure why, but his body just wouldn't move. Just the sight of her like that was too much and it stopped him in his tracks.

Her normally soft, wavy, and effortless hair was a mess. It was tangled and frizzy against the carpet. She was wearing yoga pants and an oversized Columbia hoodie that swallowed her whole and made her look impossibly small. Her face was free of makeup and her eyes were rimmed in red from all of the crying. The scary part was the bruising on her face.

They were so recent that they hadn't fully formed yet, but there was definitely two on her face that he could see. One was on the left side of her temple and the other right across her cheek. His blood boiled in anger. _Who would do such a thing? _

On top of all of that she was soaking wet. Her hair and clothes looking as if she had taken a dive in the Hudson. It was then that he noticed her shaking. He hadn't realized that it was raining outside, too caught up in his worry and grief too even look out the window before deciding to leave the house.

He set his anger aside for the moment in lieu of getting her dry and warm. It was also worrying him that, apart from the shaking, she was not moving at all. He prayed that she wasn't unconscious, though why else would she be laying on the floor in his hallway?

Another wave of worry was enough motivation to have him uprooted from his spot by the door. He swiftly stepped up to her and picked her up as if she was nothing. Her legs were more or less around his waist as he carried her like a child. Her head lobbed onto his shoulder, whether heavy because of exhaustion or unawareness he did not know. But, he could feel her heart beating, as they were chest to chest, and her body was shaking slightly from the cold and he took those as good signs.

He stepped back through the door and bumped it with his foot to close it behind them. Rainwater was seeping through his clothes as he continued on through his apartment and into the bedroom.

He curled her up in the armchair, wanting to keep the bed warm and dry for her. He detoured to the bed and turned on his electric blanket before heading into his closet. He shucked his shirt and pulled on a simple pair of sweats before quickly finding his smallest pair of boxer shorts and his warmest sweatshirt.

Returning to her, he silently apologized for having to undress her in these circumstances, but he knew it had to be done. It was awkward and she was no help at all, but he finally managed to rid her of the yoga pants and wet sweatshirt and dress her in his clothes.

He couldn't help but notice a bruise forming on her right thigh and knee as well as a spot on her ribs that was already an angry dark purple. He was going to kill whoever did this to her with his bare hands. That much he knew.

Right now his worry for her took precedence as he took her in his arms again and slipped her under the covers and wrapped her up in the electric blanket, before propping himself against the headboard and stroking her still wet hair.

"What happened to you, Kate?" He spoke into the air. It gave him chills to even think about.

"I should have never left you last night! I knew that! Never again, Kate. I'll never leave you like that again." It felt good to voice his promises, even if she wasn't able to hear them. He told himself he would give her five minutes to come to before he started freaking out or seek medical attention. Five minutes to calm himself and give her time to warm up. He knew that it was better for her to wake up to him then to a whole room of strangers, but if she still wasn't aware in five minutes he wouldn't really have a choice.

He looked down at her and found that even in her sleep she was still distressed. Her forehead was wrinkled up as if she was in pain, probably from her grief just as much as her bruises. Her eyes looked like she had been crying for days.

She was still as beautiful as he had ever seen her and she looked so small in his oversized sweatshirt and all wrapped up in his bed. He was hit once again with just how hard he had fallen for her in these last few months and how much he wanted to protect her.

Only three minutes into his allotted five he saw the first signs of life returning to her. Tears started to leak out of her still closed eyes as she came back to him. His fingers ran through her hair in, hopefully, a comforting show of affection.

"Oh, Kate." He sighed as he noticed her tears. He wrapped one arm around her loosely and gently wiped away her tears with the other. "Please don't cry. You're safe now. I'll never let this happen to you again."

She curled in on herself and wrapped the blanket around her more securely. He breathed a sigh of relief to see that she was, at least, awake and hearing what he was saying.

Her eyes opened and immediately caught his own. Her normally bright green eyes were glassy and dimmed to an almost brown color. She only held his gaze for a moment before her eyes dropped down to the comforter and another tear escaped her eye.

"I'm sorry." She said after a long, silent moment. It was so quiet that he almost missed it. "I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have come. I just… I didn't know where else to…"

She was whispering to herself more than to him.

"No, Kate." He put a finger to her chin and lifted her eyes to meet his. "Never be sorry. I am so glad that you came here. I wouldn't have wanted you to go anywhere else. I want to help you, to protect you, and take care of you. I am here for you and I…"

He took a deep breath and thought for a moment weighing his options and outcomes of what he was about to say.

"I love you, Kate. Always." She sucked in a deep breath of surprise as the tears still rolled every few seconds.

She needed to know. Bad timing or not, she needed to know that he loved her and that he was not going anywhere. They would get through this. He wasn't sure how. All he knew was that he was going to stand by her every step of the way. If that meant scooping her off the floor when she just couldn't do it anymore, or standing tall and protective beside her as she stepped out into the world. He was there and there is no where he would rather be.

"NO!" Her voice was loud and sure this time, surprising even herself, as she tried to wriggle out of his loose grasp. He only tightened it. "No, Rick. You don't love me, you can't love me. I'm so broken right now. My life has just been shattered and you deserve so much more than me. I am nothing."

He was stunned by her words. He knew that she would not say them back to him until she was in a better place, but he never thought that she would think herself unworthy. She sounded hollow, like these words weren't even coming from her, but an echo of herself.

_How could she think so little of herself? How could she think that her grieving her mother would somehow change the way he saw her? She wasn't nothing, she was everything._

She had buried her face in the pillow at the end of her piece, and when she lifted her head she said something that broke his heart even more, if that was possible.

"It's all my fault." At that a sob broke from her as she collapsed again on the pillow.

He had heard enough at this point. He didn't know where all of these ideas were coming from. She was everything to him, and her mother's death was not going to change that. And it certainly wasn't her fault.

He scooted up so that he was sitting fully against the headboard and pulled her up so that she was sitting across his lap, one leg on either side of his. He hugged her to him and she buried her head into the crook of his neck. He pulled the blanket around her. Successfully cocooning her in warmth and away from the world. It was just them in their own little world.

He couldn't understand how the most beautiful, confident, and extraordinary person he knew could end up like this. He knew that it was going to be hard. He knew that she loved her mother more than anything else and had patterned her life after her. Going to Law School after she finished at Columbia had always been her dream.

But, it wasn't just her mother she was grieving. It was herself. She really had been shattered into a million pieces by this, and whatever had happened to her in between his leaving her last night and finding her this morning.

When she had calmed enough and seemed to sink into him, grabbing onto his shirt and breathing a deep, calm breath, he began.

"Kate, first of all, none of this is your fault. It is the fault of the person who killed her. You are not responsible for any of this. Your mother loved you very much and I am sure she would not want you thinking like this.

"And, Kate, you are broken. You've been through a lot in the last twenty four hours and you know what?" He lifted her up and back just far enough so that she could see into his eyes. "I still love you. I am here for you through all of this. I will do whatever it takes to see you smiling again. I know that it is hard to think about now, but you will get there.

"I am going to pick up every beautiful, wonderful, frustrating, stubborn, extraordinary piece of you and put it all back together. You won't be broken forever, I will see to that.

"Nothing you say or do is going to change my mind about that, Kate." A small hiccup escaped her and she buried herself into him again. He wrapped her up, even more tightly then before, in his arms and settled in. If this is what she needed he would hold her all day long.

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She woke up about an hour later alone in Rick's room. She felt awful and her head was pounding. She wanted nothing more than to bury herself under the blankets and never come out again. She was so lost. Her mother had just been killed and now all of this mess.

The only part of this whole situation that made any sense in her head was Rick. He made her feel safe and loved. She could tell from looking in his eyes that he meant it when he said he loved her. And when she was in his arms she felt like she was home.

It was cheesy and way too soon to even be thinking those thoughts, but it was true. This morning she had woken up in her house. The house she grew up in, the house that she had always loved, and it had felt empty.

There was no feeling in it. It only made her feel dark and cold. It was only when she had found herself here in Rick's apartment that she had felt that sense of belonging again. It scared her and it was all too much to think about right now.

She sat up and drew her arms around her legs, resting her head on her knees. A note caught her eye on the bedside table. She picked it up and read:

_ Kate, _

_Good morning, Sleeping Beauty. There is a glass of water and some Asprin on the table for you. Come and find me when you're ready. _

_Love, _

_Rick _

She smiled weakly at his words. They were so ordinary and plain, yet to her they meant so much. He was giving her space. Not too much and he was still taking care of her, but he knew her well enough to give her just what she needed. A few moments to compose herself and think all this through.

She took the medicine and downed the glass of water, before using the bathroom and splashing water on her face. When she looked at herself in the mirror she didn't even recognize herself. There were bruises and her eyes were hollow. Dark circles and red rims overtook her eyes and reminded her of everything he helped her forget.

"Rick!" She yelped as she backed away from the mirror and ran to the safety of his bedroom.

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It had been about an hour since she had finally fallen asleep in his arms. It was killing him not to have answers about what had happened to her and where she had found herself. He had his suspicions, but he refused to voice them with no evidence.

She needed him to be calm and levelheaded. She was trusting him to stand by her and help her get through this. If she didn't she would already be gone. Yet, she was still sleeping peacefully in the other room. No one made Kate Beckett do anything she didn't want to do. That much was clear.

He had left her a note. Nothing emotional or triggering words. Just alerting her to the medicine he knew she would need and that he would be here when she was ready. He wouldn't push her. If he wanted her to be with him and get through this together he knew that he was going to have to give her a certain amount of space. As much as he wanted to, he couldn't just hold her all night and hover all day. She needed time and space.

He was just settling in to a rhythm with his latest chapter when a strangled and painful call came from her direction. He was up and out of his chair in seconds.

When he reached her she was huddled in the corner of his bedroom, curled up tightly with her head buried in her knees.

He was pretty sure that something had triggered another panic attack when he saw how rapid her breathing had become and just how pained she looked. He wasn't sure if she wanted to be touched or left alone, but she did call for him.

He threw caution to the wind as he sat on the floor beside her and took her in his arms. He whispered comforts in her ear and told her over and over that she was safe and he was here. Eventually he was able to calm her down and her breathing slowed.

As soon as she was able she wrapped her arms around him and gripped his shirt in her hands. Safe. She was safe for the moment, at least.

"Thank you." She murmured quietly once the attack had released its hold on her.

"Anytime, Kate." He pressed a kiss to her hair and prepared to stand. She began to look scared and tightened her hold on his shirt when he tried to stand. "Not going anywhere."

He pulled her up with him and walked them out of the bedroom. She was a bit shaky at first, but trailed along behind him as he walked. He ultimately led them into his office and sat on the comfiest looking couch she had ever seen.

They sat facing each other on the couch. One of her small hands in both of his larger ones. Again, giving her some space, but letting her know that he's there.

"What happened, Kate?" She waited a moment and took a deep breath and spoke all the while looking down at the hand he held.

"She's gone, Rick. She was stabbed in an alley all alone. It's my fault. And she is never coming back to us. Never."

"Kate. I know about… about your mother. I was there with you last night, remember?" She nodded her head and concentrated even harder on her hand. "What happened when I left? This morning?"

He brought one hand up to touch the bruise on her temple, that in the last few hours had only turned darker.

"I woke up to him yelling, drunk. I came down the stairs to see what was going on. There was an officer there in the living room. Uh…same one as last night… I, uh, think." She took a few breaths and wiped a stray tear from her face, gathering the courage to continue. He rubbed soothing circles on her hand, a mirror of her actions in the car home last night, before it all went wrong.

"Gang Violence. A random wayward event." Another pregnant pause.

"There was no reason…it just happened. They think she decided to walk to the restaurant to meet us. Never made it there."

Tears were flowing steadily now and he pulled her into his side so that her head could rest on his chest.

"He was so angry, Rick. So angry. The officer left, just said 'I'm sorry' and 'they did the best they could'. It hadn't even been twenty-four hours. How is that their best? Did they even lift a finger?" She was practically yelling now. He ran a hand through her hair in an effort to calm her down without stopping her.

"He threw…he threw a bottle at me. Or towards me…it wasn't even close really. I don't even think he saw me until his direction was pulled by the bottle. He was drunk. I shouldn't blame him. It was my fault…"

"He told me it was my fault. He told me that I was good for nothing and that all I did was remind him of her. He said I was a poor substitute…. He threw me around and then he threw me out. Literally, threw me out, like I was nothing. I guess I am.

"I started walking and ended up here. I guess."

Rick didn't need to hear the rest. He was much too disgusted to even think about what had come next. Her own father had reduced her to this. Made her believe that this was all her fault. It was disgusting and boy was he going to kill him now. His blood was boiling, he couldn't even form a coherent thought.

He took a few breaths, counted to ten, and then did his best to fix this horrible mess.

"Kate. This is in no way, shape, or form your fault. It is the fault of the man who stabbed her. You are not to blame and I never want you to say that, or even think that, again.

"He was wrong. He was drunk and crazy and wrong. You inviting your mother to dinner does not put that knife in your hand, alright? You have to believe me!" He was pleading with her now. She was never going to be able to grieve properly if she kept thinking that all of this was her fault.

"Kate, look at me. I don't know what he said to you or what other lies he put in your head, but whatever it was is wrong. You didn't deserve this. You deserve so much more than shabby cops and drunk father's.

"But I promise you this. I won't let anything happen to you if I can help it. I will protect you with every fiber of my being. If you can make it through these next couple of days, you will never have to see your father again, if that's what you choose. However, I can assure you that he will never lay another finger on you.

"As for those cops, who needs them? I don't know how, but we will find whoever did this to your mom. Random event or not, there will be evidence somewhere. And one day, when you're ready we will look. Just not today." He pulled her over and onto his chest as he lay back. Situating her between him and the couch.

"You're not nothing, Kate." He recalled her words from earlier. "You were everything to her. I could tell by the way you talked about her and the way she raised you into this brilliant gorgeous person. You can never doubt that she loved you.

"And I love you. You are everything to me and I hate to see you hurting like this. You're not alone anymore, never alone. I am here for you, always."

They were silent for a minute. Rick hoping that she understood, Kate speechless with how much he had truly meant the words he said. She could hear it in his voice.

She believed him. She did. She never doubted that her mother loved her, and as hard as it was to think about, her father loved her too.

She was broken, she didn't doubt that. But it would seem that Rick didn't mind. Even as her whole world shattered around her, he remained.

"I love you, too." She whispered into his ear. "Thank you, for picking up the pieces."

**Fin. **

**Thank you for all of your support. I love to hear from you! **


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